In large buildings such as semi-trailer shops where maintenance may be conducted on semi-trailers or trucks, maintenance on the inside roof and upper portions of such building is usually conducted by providing extension ladders to enable workers to reach the inside ceiling and high areas within the building for pipe replacements, repair of roof leaks, light bulb replacement and other maintenance problems. Because of the height of such buildings, use of such ladders can create a dangerous situation due to height extensions. Further, the ladders frequently interfere with truck or trailer entry into the building and must be moved from one section to another. This increases substantially the length of time necessary to conduct ordinary repairs.
These disadvantages are overcome by the present invention in which foldable scaffolds are provided in relatively long sections. The scaffolds are positioned on opposite sides of a work bay, approximately ten feet six inches from the floor of the building. The scaffolds can be pivoted from a vertical stored position to a horizontal position to provide a walking surface for maintenance purposes. Scaffolds provided on each side of the bay may be connected by transverse walking platforms that may be spaced such that a semi-trailer or large truck can be driven into the bay between the scaffolds.
In accordance with a feature of the invention, a walking surface comprises several longitudinal sections of scaffolding. Each section is supported by an 8 inch H beam bolted into 4×4 concrete piers onto the surface floor of the building. Several longitudinal sections may be connected to make up one continuous walking surface that extends the length of the bay.
The use of scaffolding according to the invention provides several advantages including safety, convenience, time saving, prevention of damage to trailers, avoidance of the necessity to use messy hydraulic fluid devices which frequently cause spillage on floors, avoidance of stationary braces and obstacles to work around.
In accordance with the present invention, the fold-up scaffolds can be pivoted from a vertical storage position which allows access of semi-trailers into a bay to a substantial horizontal position, parallel to the floor. The scaffold can be pivoted downward at an arc of 85° to 90° to provide an elongated, horizontal walking surface for working on the tops of trucks and semi-trailers for the replacement of lights or conducting other maintenance procedures while avoiding use of obstructing ladders and dangers inherent thereto.